Inter-Rail and the single girl

I have a problem over a three-zone Inter-Railing trip around France, Italy, Spain and Greece that I am planning after my A-levels. I'll have to travel alone because I've not chosen to take a gap year and most of my friends have, which means they are all working in the summer and can't come with me.

I've never done a trip like this, and I was wondering if you could give me some safety tips and perhaps suggest hostels where I'm likely to meet people my own age.

The Spanish zone includes Morocco and I'd really like to go there, but as a lone woman am I likely to get hassled to death?
Georgia Walker Churchman, Brighton

Your first reason to be cheerful is that if you hit the rails in July or August you'll never be far from other travellers, in fact you'll have problems getting away from them. Number two: backpacking is one of the most social ways to travel. Meeting new people with the same agenda as you is what hostels are for, as well as being cheap places to crash.

You can be out on the town with an international gang of new friends within hours of arriving in a new city, or there's always somewhere to hide with a book if you don't fancy exploring your destination straight away.

Common sense is the best way to stay safe. Not getting out of control on drink or drugs should be a priority, along with not losing your bearings, especially late at night. Be wary of accepting drinks from strangers, and always keep your valuables hidden from view. Lonely Planet produces a fact sheet for women travellers which we're happy to send out. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust (020 8392 1839) has personal safety advice and information.

Morocco poses challenges to all solo travellers. It can involve more unwanted attention from assertive touts and hustlers than other countries. It's also a beautiful, vibrant destination that you shouldn't miss due to these concerns. Keep your sense of humour, be firm but polite and it'll be a blast.

It may be an idea, however, to decide whether to go to Morocco after cutting your teeth in Europe, and chatting to other travellers who've made that trip to see if you think it's for you.

Explore the coast of Croatia

We are considering a 10-day holiday in Croatia in the first two weeks of September because we've heard that Dubrovnik and its coast are beautiful. Could you recommend other places for us to go? Will we need to hire a car, which airlines fly there and where can we find out about accommodation? We don't mind self-catering.
Sara Howell, London

Dubrovnik is only one of many highlights of Croatia. The coast has dozens of quiet villages, secluded coves and thousands of islands linked by an extensive ferry network. Inland the scenery is often just as spectacular, with wooded hills and towns.

A cheap way to get there is to fly Ryanair to Trieste, the Italian gateway to northern Croatia, and take a long bus ride to Dubrovnik. Otherwise, Croatia Airlines flies to Dubrovnik via Zagreb for about £200, depending on season. Charter airlines fly there too: get the fares from DialAFlight (0870 333 4488).

For a 10-day trip, your itinerary may vary depending on where you enter Croatia. Try to see some of the historic ports with narrow, winding streets and often with impressive walls. Rovinj, Korcula town, Zadar and Hvar town are all worth a look.

All the islands have different characters and are worth seeing. Krk, Pag, Brac and Korcula are popular stops.

A few days' sailing in the Kornati archipelago, beloved of George Bernard Shaw, is highly recommended.

Inland, the Plitvice Lakes and spectacular cascades in the Krka National Parks are must-sees if you're in the area, and Paklenica National Park offers all the walking you could want. Spectacular gorges are the speciality here.

Zagreb, the capital, is a vibrant, rapidly changing city, and merits a visit. The Croatian National Tourist Office (020 8563 7979) can help narrow your options.

Local car hire firms charge about £25 a day in the high season, but it's easy to get about by bus and ferry (www.jadrolinija.hr).

Good value accommodation is plentiful. Many local people let rooms and greet visitors arriving by bus and boat.

Adventure in the wild

Can you recommend holidays for a 23-year-old PhD science student who needs a two-week break in the summer but whose mates are too broke to go with him. Heavy drinking with amnesia the next day doesn't appeal; meeting other young people in great surroundings does.
J, Dorking

Happily, there are alternatives to the boozefest. Try an adventure holiday run by firms such as Exodus (020 8675 5550), Dragoman (01728 861133) or the Imaginative Traveller (020 8742 8612).

Expect white-water rafting, dune-surfing, diving and the like. The trips range from two weeks in Inner Mongolia to several months traversing South America. Shop around.

Alternatively, you could volunteer on a conservation project for a couple of weeks. Help is often needed with scientific research, even for a short time. You sometimes need to pay your own costs, but you might get a chance to see an untouched area you could never visit as a tourist, perhaps working with wild animals. Try Earthwatch Europe (01865 318838), the Atlantic Whale Foundation (020 7240 5795) and Archaeology Abroad.

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